Artificial daylight in the hen house.

14 hours is reccomended for helping them lay.
FLOOD LIGHTS!?? WOW! Bright in there hu!?? I use flourescent light strip.....low on the energy usage, they dont get hot..and...they are bright. I havent started adjusting the light hours as of yet. They still seem to be laying quite well tho. So far!

 

I use 3, 20 watt halogens in the coop area. They are the kind
you get at Home Depot for $30 per six pack. I've also got halogen
floods in the run I leave on for a few hours after sundown.
Flourescents do not produce a good spectrum of light. I'm not sure
if this matters with chickens but it's cheaper to run the halogens anyways.

The lights come on when we leave in the morning, around 7 AM.
There are windows in the barn so they get light starting at 6.
The lights don't get turned off until 11PM. I'd prefer to turn it off
at 9 or 10 but I usually visit with them around 10PM, before bed.


My 9 standard hens are up to 6-8 eggs a day and it doesn't seem
to be dropping. We'll see what happens when the weather gets
cold.

 

*****DUMB QUESTION ALERT***** So what happens if they don't get artificial light??? I am just building my coop and don't have any way to get electricity to it outside of a huge orange extension cord which wouldn't be safe outside year round. My girls are about 7-9 weeks old, so I was hoping for eggs in January. Will we have to wait till spring when the days get longer before they start laying??? Does breed matter? We have americauna, cochin, brahma, RIR, Barred Rocks, black sex link, Wyandotte. Thanks, Suz

 

Quote:The only dumb questions are the ones that don't get asked.

Hens will lay year-round but not as much in the winter as in the spring/summer. You, I mean they/chickens really don't need artificial light in order to lay eggs. From what I've read, it does depend on breeds and age.

Dawn

 

jeaucamom, I run an extension cord from our shop to our chicken coop during the winter and early spring and summer for the fan and lights. It hasn't been a problem for us. Good luck with your electricity.

 

I like to have the light come on at about 4 am and go off after daylight usually about 7 or 7:30 am. Then they go to bed at dusk & I don't have any get "lost" when the lights go off all of a sudden and they aren't stuck outside or not on the roost.
Saves on electricity too.


Jean

 

I don't use artificial light. It will increase egg production but it will also increases prolapse, burn out and general reproductive health issues.

It's not a problem if you intend to cull your flock after a year but if you keep them as pets too you're going to end up with problems.

Without artificial light my 25 girls layed 15-20 eggs a day all winter their first year.

 

I agree with ella. The use of artificial lights will result in a shortened egg laying life for your hens. They will either suffer reproductive issues, stop laying after just a few years (versus many years of laying) and be worthless a lot sooner than you would think. If you want a long term laying hen as a pet, then I wouldn't use lights. If you just want layers and lots of eggs and plan to cull often, then use the lights. In addition, the lights reduce the chance of natural molt which is part of a birds annual cycle. They don't get the annual new plumage, so bald backs remain bald backs and so on. Just things to keep in mind in making this decision.

Jody